Sunsets by the Country Side
by ali.9319
Summary: Hanschen is married however he finds himself terribly unhappy and realizes he truly loves Ernst. The two plan to run away, leaving everything behind to start the life they always dreamed of when they were entangled in each other arms in the Vineyard.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Spring Awakening

Hanschen pressed his lips to his wife's once more, only to quickly pull away.

"I can't do this anymore," he mumbled, running down the stairs and out the door, letting his feet carry him to the vineyard.

"Hanschen," his wife called after him, but she knew it was no use. It was Ernst, the boy he mumbled about every night in his sleep.

Hanschen sat down beneath their tree and longed for Ernst's touch, longed to feel something real.

"I don't even care anymore; I'll do anything for you. I don't care who sees or if we get caught, Ernst I need you", he whispered into the wind.

He laid his head into his hand and slowly began to weep, something he'd never thought he would do over Ernst. He'd only been married a mere two weeks and it was driving him crazy, kissing someone other than Ernst, someone other than Ernst touching him. He couldn't bear it. He pulled himself up, dried his tears and walked the familiar path to Ernst's house. Remembering the days when he was free, when he and Ernst would lock the door and spend hours entangled in each other arms. He yearned for life to be like that again, to be with Ernst. He knocked at the door, which opened to reveal the familiar face of Frau Robel.

"Hello Herr Rilow." She greeted.

"Good afternoon Frau Robel, and please, call me Hanschen." He insisted offering a warm smile.

"Oh okay Hanschen; I'm guessing you're here to see Ernst?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"He's up in his room; shall I call him down for you?"

"Oh no, I can go up to visit him." Hanschen said.

"Oh but you're a man now. Men visit in studies, not in bedrooms. That would be ever so improper." She said.

"I'm only seven-teen, our definition of a man must very." Replied Hanschen growing rather frustrated with Frau Robel. All he wanted to do was see his Ernst and he was growing rather impatient.

"Very well, head on up." She said with a nod, opening the door allowing Hanschen in.

"Thank you." he said going up to Ernst room.

He didn't even bother to knock, startling Ernest upon his entrance.

"Oh, hello Hanschen." Ernst said.

"Run away with me." said Hanschen grabbing hold of Ernst hands.

"But…you're married and…where would we go…what would we do?"

"I want to be with you. I can't bear to be with her any longer, its killing me. All I think of is you. It's driving me crazy Ernst, you have no idea. I try to want her, I really do...but I, I can't Ernst…I love you." Said Hanschen staring Ernst dead in the eyes, with the most sincere look anyone had ever seen on his face.

"Oh Hanschen…I…I….yes…let's do it, let's run away." He'd waited his whole life to hear those words from the beautiful blonde and now he'd finally heard them. How could he ever resist Hanschen?

"We could leave tonight. We could meet in the vineyard and run away…we could go to the country and eventually to England when we can afford it. Ernst, we can be together, we can be happy."

"Tonight, in the vineyard, an hour after sunsets while everyone is fast asleep. We must leave letters." replied Ernest, wide eyed and eager.

"We will, but you mustn't say where we are going. We can only write and that will have to suffice for the time being. With what we are telling them, they may never want to talk to us again."

"As long as we're together. I've dreamed of this for so long…and now…oh Hanschen." Said Ernst pressing his lips against Hanschen's. "I can't believe this is happening."

"I know, but I must go. I will see you tonight after sunset, say goodbye to the village; we may never see it again."

Ernst nodded and kissed his lover goodbye.

**A/N:** Hey, thanks for reading! There's more to come soon!

-Ali


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Sorry this took so long to post, I was in New York and then sick but I finally got it up! Of course I don't own Spring Awakening :(

Hanschen's Pov:

Hanschen kissed Ernst one last time, unlocked the door and headed down the stairs. He waved goodbye to Frau Robel and let himself out. He took the short path home through the forest, eager to get home and pack. He arrived home to find his wife sitting on the porch.

"Where were you?" she demanded

"Visiting a friend."

"Ernst Robel?"

"Yes, if you must know."

"What is it with you and that boy?"

"He's been my best friend for years. Do you expect me not to see him?"

"Well…no…but it's always Ernst."

"What's always Ernst?" Demanded Hanschen, cutting off his wife "We will deal with this later. Why don't you go to the market?" Ordered Hanschen.

"Yes dear." She said, used to Hanschen demands. She went to kiss him on the check but he turned away, avoiding her kiss. He headed into the house and she to the market.

Hanschen marched upstairs, infuriated with his wife. Why had he let his parents marry him to her? Out of all people, her? He grabbed his trunk from the closet and packed all his belongings away in it, his whole life. He then went and put it down stairs in his study where he knew his wife would not go. He sat down at his desk, pulled out his stationary and began to write letters just as Ernst had suggested.

_Dear mother and father,_

_I know you will never forgive me for what I am about to do or for what I am about to tell you. I am sorry I have failed you, but I feel I must do what is best for me. I cannot live this life and pretend I am happy, I won't do that. I am running away with Ernst. Ernst has been my best friend along with my lover for four years. Behind the closed doors, we hid it so well, but now we are tired of it. I won't spend my life with that woman I despise__,__ that you forced me marry. Today I am a man; I make my own decisions and live on my own. I have found us a house and you won't be able to find us. I know if you do you will have me sent to the reformatory or worse. I won't let that happen to Ernst or me. You don't get to hurt me or control me anymore. I am my own man now, just like you always wanted father. _

_Hanschen_

_Elga,_

_I don't feel as if I owe you any explanation, we have lived this lie for a short time and I imagine you are as glad as I am it is all over. __A__s you may have guessed__,__ I am with Ernst. We've been together for years and are now running away to start a life together. I ask for the pride of my parents you don't relieve the information I have __given__ you to anyone. For it would destroy what pride they have left. I am sure you will be most happy with someone else._

_Hanschen_

Hanschen carefully folded the letters and sealed them in envelopes. He then left them on his desk and pulled out a book to pass the time until he could be with Ernst. When Elga arrived home, she went upstairs to bed, leaving Hanschen alone just as he had planned. He then watched the sun set through his study window and waited only a few minutes before picking up his trunk and leaving his life behind. He headed down to the vineyard without a second glance. He went to their tree, sat down on his trunk, and waited for Ernest to appear, planning their new lives in his head.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

Ernest's Pov:

Ernst kissed Hanschen goodbye and watched him from his window, as he walked away and disappeared into the forest. Ernst quickly turned away from his window, pulled his trunk from his closet, and began to pack almost everything he owned. He then sat down at his desk and began to write letters to his friends and family, trying to explain what was going on.

_Dear Mama,_

_By the time you find this I will be long gone__.__You may be wondering where__, __but__ that I cannot tell you out of fear you and Papa will come to find us and punish us for our wrong doings. But I cannot help it__.__ I am in love mama, with Hanschen Rilow, __and__ we have run away together. I know this may break your heart__,__ but I am still the same Ernst__.__ I've been with Hanschen for four year__s__, __and you may remember __all those times we locked the door and stayed out late. He is my best friend and lover__,__ mama, just like papa is to you, only Hanschen is a man and I love him and he loves me. I will write you again __and, __when I arrive where I am staying, I will send you a local address where I can safely retrieve your letters. I am sorry for any pain this may bring upon you__,__ and you must know you are a wonderful mother and nothing you did had any effect on my love for Hanschen. There is nothing either you or anyone could have done to prevent this from happening. I hope you aren't too upset upon reading this__ and__ I wish you and papa all the best__.__I__ hope to visit you one day and hope that you will visit me __in return__._

_Forever and always, your loving son,_

_Ernst Robel. _

Now one for papa, thought Ernst, tears streaming down his face.

_Papa,_

_I know you will not be happy to read what I __am about to write__ to you, but I ask that you please read it. I know we've had our differences and that I wasn't the son you had hoped for, I wasn't the smartest or the most athletic of the boys like you and I never will be. I am sorry to have let you down. In any case__,__ I hope you will forgive me. I have run away and will hopefully return to visit you again someday. I am with Hanschen Rilow. I am sure you're surprised as you always encouraged me to spend more time with him to make a man out of me. Well__,__ I found so much more from that friendship. I found a best friend and love, which I am sure is piercing your ears. But never the less I love you father__,__ and I will write to you again soon._

_Love__,__ your son,_

_Ernst Robel. _

Ernst debated about who else he might owe a letter to, but could not think of anyone. Hanschen was his only true friend, he'd never really connected with the others or spent enough time with them to know what to write to them. He sealed the letters in envelopes and set them on his desk. He climbed into his bed for the last time and watched the sun slowly set, making sure he didn't fall asleep. He waited for what seemed like an eternity, until he knew it was time to go. He made his bed, smoothed out his clothes, picked up his trunk, and headed down the stairs as quietly as possible. He exited his childhood home and starred back at it for a while. Tears began to form in the corner of his brown eyes, slowly rolling down his pale white checks. But all he could think about was Hanschen and how everything would be okay when he was in his lover's arms. He walked down the dirt path to the vineyard that he'd taken so many times before, except this time was his last, and that thought stung in the back of his head. But still, there was a bounce in his step as he trailed along to the vineyard. He arrived to behold Hanschen, sitting under their tree, with the widest smile pasted on his face. He hurried over and kissed him.

"We can catch the next train out of here, it leaves in an hour. Come on." Said Hanschen leading Ernst down to the train station.

"We'll sneak in the back and hop off four hours into the ride. We will be in the country side, where there's an abandoned farm. There we can start our new life." Said Hanschen looking down at Ernst and planting a soft kiss on his head.

"Hanschen how can you be so sure of this? How do you know this will work?"

"I passed by with my family once. We stayed at my aunts and traveled through the country side. I remember seeing this old abandoned house. Oh how beautiful it was! I didn't understand why someone didn't live there. But now we will." Hanschen proclaimed

"We can grow our own crops and live our own life, just the two of us."

"Just the two of us." Nodded Hanschen, leaning in to kiss Ernst.

They could hear the train whistle blow in the distance and, with thoughts of their new lives dancing around in their heads, they were growing impatient. The train slowly came to a stop and they climbed on board the second last cart with the crates. Ernst lay his head on Hanschen shoulder and began to drift slowly asleep as Hanschen counted the stops to their new lives.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hey! Sorry this took so long, I feel like I'm saying that way too much. :P I'm going to start writing ahead and that so hopefully I wont have to have such long gaps in between posts. I will also try to make the next chapter or the one after that longer. I think I'll only write about two more chapters of this story. Thanks for reading the story and my ranting! :P

-Ali

The train rolled on for what seemed like an eternity to Hanschen as he gazed down at his lover, watching the rise and decline of the boy's chest. The train soon came to a screeching halt signaled by the whistle. Ernst darted up, grabbing hold of Hanschen.

"Ernst, you're fine." He said enveloping Ernst in a hug. "But this is our stop, come on" He continued gently breaking their embrace and taking hold of Ernst's hand instead.

"How far is it from here?" Ernst inquired as the two carefully climbed out of the train and escaped quietly off the platform.

"I'm not sure" Whispered Hanschen.

He could see a worried look beginning to form on his lover's face; he pulled him tightly into a reassuring hug and placed a tender kiss on his lips.

"Everything will be fine, I promise, we will be great, we can have all we ever wanted."

"We will have all we ever wanted." Nodded Ernst returning the affectionate kiss.

"Come on, we can find a place to rest a while over the hill, see that forest?"

Ernst nodded.

"We will sleep there tonight."

The two walked hand in hand until they reached the forest's entrance.

"Do you think we'll stumble upon a vineyard here?" Smirked Ernst

"I surely hope so." Added Hanschen with his sly smile

The two boys, curled up under an old, over stretched tree, opening their trunks revealing the blankets they had packed, spreading them over the land, falling asleep in each others arms just as they had always dreamt.


	5. Chapter 5

An: Happy New year! This is the last chapter of the story, thank you for reading and reviewing it! :)

-Ali

Hanschen awoke the next day feeling Ernst's frail body shifting in his arms.

"Ernst?" He mumbled.

"Oh, sorry...I didn't want to wake you."

"Why not?" teased Hanschen smirking at Ernst.

"Oh, you just looked so peaceful, I...I don't know."

Hanschen laughed as the two sat up.

"Well we should be on our way we're almost there."

"How much farther is it?" Inquired Ernst

"Out of the forest and over the hill." pointed Hanschen "We'll be there be night fall."

"Really!?" Beamed Ernst

"Yeah, come one." laughed Hanschen, taking Ernst's hand and leading him out of the exquisite forest.

The two rushed over the hill, stopping at the top to look down upon their new found home.

"It's stunning" gasped Ernst

"Come on!" Cried Hanschen running down the hill and towards their house. The old abandoned house was warm and welcoming to the two. They rushed up the rickety old stairs flinging open the door. Ernst eagerly ran through the house looking at all the rooms meeting a laughing Hanschen in the family room. Hanschen grasped his lovers' hands. Smiling up at him.

"Oh, Hanschen it is magnificent, I could never have imagined it to be such a perfect home."

"There's lots of work to be done, but we have an infinite amount of time, we should go to town tomorrow"

"We can decorate it however we want! Paint our rooms any colour we fancy and stay out as late as we please."

"We can do whatever we like, just you and me" Said Hanschen delicately placing a kiss on his lover's lips.


End file.
